Defamation warning

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The Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, will tell the states today
that if they ignore his views on allowing companies to sue for
defamation he will press ahead with his own national code.

A spokeswoman for Mr Ruddock said yesterday the minister "still
has not heard a good reason why corporations should not have the
same rights as individuals to protect and defend their
reputation".

"They're like the Queen of Hearts from Alice in
Wonderland - sentence first, verdict later. Every time the
Commonwealth comes up with a proposal, the states condemn it
without due consideration."

At today's Standing Committee of Attorneys-General meeting on
the Gold Coast, Mr Ruddock will also tell the states they are wrong
to focus on the payouts rather than corrections - a point of
concern for publishers that wish to avoid the Federal Government's
concept of court-ordered corrections.

The states hope to introduce their own uniform bill for
defamation next year.